Pants on fire: Risks for and outcomes of atypical lying

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Psychopathology

Background:

• Most individuals are honest, but approximately 5% exhibit prolific lying behaviors, sometimes without clear reasons.
• Limited developmental research exists on atypical lying features, including motives, attitudes, and dishonesty inclinations, and their associated traits and negative outcomes.
• This study addresses the gap by examining psychopathic traits' relation to lying trajectories and the risk for adult antisocial behaviors linked to persistent atypical lying during adolescence to adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental trajectories of atypical lying features from adolescence to adulthood.
• To determine the relationship between psychopathic traits and these lying trajectories.
• To assess whether atypical lying features predict adult offending and substance use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the longitudinal Pathways to Desistance project (N=1170 serious juvenile offenders).
• Employed age-based trajectory analyses to model self-reported atypical lying features from ages 14 to 26.
• Examined Youth Psychopathy Inventory subscales to predict lying trajectory classes and their association with adulthood offending and substance use.

Main Results:

• Approximately 5% of participants demonstrated elevated atypical lying features persisting from adolescence into adulthood.
• Individuals with persistent atypical lying exhibited greater manipulativeness, remorselessness, impulsivity, and irresponsibility during adolescence.
• These individuals were significantly more likely to engage in offending behaviors and substance use in adulthood.

Conclusions:

• Atypical lying features can persist beyond the typical developmental decrease in lying frequency, particularly in prolific liars.
• Specific psychopathic traits identified during adolescence can serve as indicators for individuals at risk for persistent lying and later antisocial behaviors.
• Findings inform the development of targeted intervention and prevention programs for externalizing behaviors.